Haptic solenoid assembly with a solenoid vibration-damping system

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a haptic solenoid assembly for transmission of amplified vibrations to a vibrated member, the haptic solenoid assembly comprising a stationary pole comprising a casing defining a plunger-receiving cavity opening out in the casing and a coil at least partially surrounding the plunger-receiving cavity; a mobile pole comprising a mobile pole body at least partially received in the plunger-receiving cavity and displaceable therein when an electric current is provided to the coil; and a lever-mounting portion protruding outwardly from the plunger-receiving cavity and engageable to the vibrated member; and a solenoid vibration-damping system engaged to the stationary pole and at least partially surrounding the plunger-receiving cavity. The present disclosure also concerns a haptic solenoid system comprising a haptic solenoid assembly and a vibration-transmitting member connected to the lever-mounting end portion of the mobile pole and engageable to the vibrated member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A haptic solenoid assembly for transmission of amplified vibrations to a vibrated member, the haptic solenoid assembly comprising:
 a stationary pole comprising a casing defining a plunger-receiving cavity opening out in the casing and a coil at least partially surrounding the plunger-receiving cavity; 
 a mobile pole comprising:
 a mobile pole body at least partially received in the plunger-receiving cavity and displaceable radially and longitudinally therein when an electric current is provided to the coil; and 
 a lever-mounting portion protruding outwardly from the plunger-receiving cavity and engageable to the vibrated member; and 
 
 a solenoid vibration-damping system engaged to the stationary pole and at least partially surrounding the plunger-receiving cavity, the solenoid vibration-damping system comprising a mobile pole radial restrictor having a plunger-receiving aperture formed therethrough in register with the plunger-receiving cavity to limit a radial displacement of the mobile pole body within the plunger-receiving cavity. 
 
     
     
       2. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile pole radial restrictor is engaged to the casing of the stationary pole. 
     
     
       3. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the plunger-receiving aperture has an inner cross-section smaller than an inner cross-section of the plunger-receiving cavity. 
     
     
       4. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the solenoid vibration-damping system comprises a solenoid vibration damper with a bushing-receiving aperture formed therethrough, the solenoid vibration damper being engaged to the casing and surrounding at least partially the plunger-receiving cavity, the mobile pole radial restrictor being at least partially snugly fitted into the bushing-receiving aperture. 
     
     
       5. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a vibration-transmitting lever having:
 a solenoid-mounting end portion pivotably mounted to the lever-mounting portion of the mobile pole about a first pivot axis; and 
 an opposed vibrating end portion engageable to the vibrated member. 
 
     
     
       6. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the stationary pole is mountable to a solenoid-mounting structure, the vibrating end portion of the vibration-transmitting lever being pivotably mountable to the solenoid-mounting structure about a second pivot axis, the first and second pivot axes being substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
       7. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 6 , further comprising one or more lever vibration dampers proximate one of the first and second pivot axes. 
     
     
       8. A haptic solenoid system comprising:
 a haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 1 ; and 
 a vibration-transmitting member connected to the lever-mounting end portion of the mobile pole and engageable to the vibrated member. 
 
     
     
       9. The haptic solenoid system according to  claim 8 , wherein the haptic solenoid assembly further comprises a vibration-transmitting lever comprising:
 a solenoid-mounting end portion pivotably mounted to the lever-mounting portion of the mobile pole about a first pivot axis; and 
 an opposed vibrating end portion pivotably connected to the vibration-transmitting member about a second pivot axis substantially parallel to the first pivot axis. 
 
     
     
       10. The haptic solenoid system according to  claim 9 , wherein the stationary pole is mountable to a solenoid-mounting structure, and wherein the vibration-transmitting member comprises:
 a screen-driving member engageable to the vibrated member; and 
 a lever-mounting support mountable to the solenoid-mounting structure and comprising a lever-receiving portion defining a lever-receiving cavity, the vibrating end portion of the vibration-transmitting lever being at least partially received in the lever-receiving cavity. 
 
     
     
       11. The haptic solenoid system according to  claim 10 , wherein the lever-receiving portion comprises an inner surface at least partially delimiting the lever-receiving cavity, one or more lever stoppers protruding inwardly from the inner surface. 
     
     
       12. The haptic solenoid system according to  claim 11 , wherein said one or more lever stoppers are engaged into stopper-receiving apertures formed in the lever-receiving portion and are displaceable within the corresponding stopper-receiving aperture from an outside of the lever-receiving cavity. 
     
     
       13. The haptic solenoid system according to  claim 8 , wherein the solenoid vibration-damping system of the haptic solenoid assembly comprises a plunger-guiding bushing engaged to the casing of the stationary pole and having a plunger-receiving aperture formed therethrough in register with the plunger-receiving cavity. 
     
     
       14. A haptic solenoid assembly for transmission of amplified vibrations to a vibrated member, the haptic solenoid assembly comprising:
 a solenoid barrel forming a stationary pole and comprising:
 a casing defining a plunger-receiving cavity opening out in the casing; and 
 a coil at least partially surrounding the plunger-receiving cavity; 
 
 a mobile pole comprising:
 a plunger body at least partially received in the plunger-receiving cavity and displaceable radially and longitudinally therein when an electric current is provided to the coil, and 
 a lever-mounting portion protruding from the plunger body outwardly from the plunger-receiving cavity and engageable to the vibrated member; and 
 
 a plunger-guiding bushing engaged to an outer surface of the casing and having a plunger-receiving aperture formed therethrough and being in register with the plunger-receiving cavity of the solenoid barrel, wherein the mobile pole is longitudinally displaceable within the plunger-receiving aperture of the plunger-guiding bushing upon actuation of the haptic solenoid assembly and wherein the plunger-guiding bushing limits a radial displacement of the plunger body within the plunger-receiving cavity. 
 
     
     
       15. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 14 , further comprising a solenoid vibration damper with a bushing-receiving aperture formed therethrough, the solenoid vibration damper being engaged to the casing and surrounding at least partially the plunger-receiving cavity, the plunger-guiding bushing being at least partially snugly fitted into the bushing-receiving aperture. 
     
     
       16. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein a length of the plunger-guiding bushing is greater than a length of the solenoid vibration damper. 
     
     
       17. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 16 , further comprising a vibration-transmitting lever having:
 a solenoid-mounting end portion pivotably mounted to the lever-mounting portion of the mobile pole about a first pivot axis; and 
 an opposed vibrating end portion engageable to the vibrated member. 
 
     
     
       18. A haptic solenoid assembly for transmission of amplified vibrations to a vibrated member, the haptic solenoid assembly comprising:
 a stationary pole comprising:
 a casing defining a plunger-receiving cavity opening out in the casing, and 
 a coil at least partially surrounding the plunger-receiving cavity; 
 
 a mobile pole comprising:
 a mobile pole body extending at least partially in the plunger-receiving cavity and displaceable radially and longitudinally therein when an electric current is provided to the coil, and 
 a lever-mounting portion protruding outwardly from the plunger-receiving cavity; and 
 
 a vibration-transmitting lever comprising:
 a solenoid-mounting end portion pivotably mounted to the lever-mounting portion of the mobile pole about a first pivot axis; and 
 an opposed vibrating end portion engageable to the vibrated member; and 
 
 a mobile pole radial restrictor engaged to the casing and having a plunger-receiving aperture formed therethrough in register with the plunger-receiving cavity; 
 wherein the mobile pole radial restrictor limits a radial displacement of the mobile pole body within the plunger-receiving cavity upon actuation of the haptic solenoid assembly; and 
 wherein a path of the lever-mounting portion is substantially arc-shaped upon actuation of the haptic solenoid assembly. 
 
     
     
       19. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the stationary pole is mountable to a solenoid-mounting structure, wherein the vibrating end portion of the vibration-transmitting lever is pivotably mountable to the solenoid-mounting structure about a second pivot axis, the first and second pivot axes being substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
       20. The haptic solenoid assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the vibrating end portion comprises a vibrated member-connecting portion engageable to the vibrated member, wherein a first distance is defined between the vibrated member-connecting portion and the second pivot axis, and a second distance is defined between the first and second pivot axes, the first distance being smaller than the second distance, for the vibrated member-connecting portion to follow a path smaller than a path followed by the solenoid-mounting end portion of the vibration transmitting lever upon actuation of the haptic solenoid assembly.